The Grapes Of Isabel's Wrath

Williamsburg Winery Loses Tons Of Product To The Storm

September 27, 2003|By DAPHNE SASHIN Daily Press

JAMES CITY — The winemakers worked until 5 a.m., mechanically crushing grapes before the storm. But there was little that they could do to save the 15 tons of Seyval fermenting in a refrigerated tank when the power went out at The Williamsburg Winery the day Isabel struck.

"It was particularly sad," said winery President Patrick Duffeler, "because the Seyval was beautiful grapes -- beautiful, high-quality -- and we were planning to use that for a new experimental product. So that was a heartbreak."

Other storms have befallen the winery, but Hurricane Isabel arrived at the worst possible time -- in the middle of "crush," the season when grapes are harvested and turned into juice, which starts the fermentation process.

In the five days the winery was without power, 12 tons of fermenting Merlot went bad in addition to the Seyval. Those wines must not be kept at temperatures higher than 85 degrees, Duffeler said, and after the electricity went out, the tanks went "out of control" and reached 120 degrees.

Luckily, he said, the power came back before more was lost -- a half-million dollars worth of wine was fermenting in barrels and tanks.

"It was the most nerve-wracking crush that has ever happened over here," said Duffeler, estimating the winery sustained more than $200,000 in damage, including lost sales and event cancellations. He doesn't yet know how much his insurance company will cover.

"Not everybody can forecast a hurricane, but I can tell you that I've made a decision that we're going to buy a heavy-duty generator for the future because I never again want to find myself without power for five days."

In the vineyards, virtually the entire Merlot harvest was damaged because most of the grapes were ripped from the vines before they were ripe enough to be picked.

The winery was the hardest-hit agricultural operation in James City County, but other farms there suffered in the storm.

The Hunt family's Hill Pleasant Farm in Norge lost about $15,000 in sales and damages, mostly due to fallen apple trees and fruit that fell off before it was ripe. The farm lost half its apple crop this summer to rain and rot, said Don Hunt.

"We picked apples right up until it was raining so hard, the boys couldn't pick anymore," Hunt said.

County officials estimated about $300,000 in damage to corn, apples, tomatoes and grapes.

The winery started scrambling the Monday before the storm, when the other vineyards that it buys from -- it has contracts with seven growers around the state -- were rushing to harvest as many grapes as they could.

"On Tuesday night, they were just saying, 'We're sending you the truck tomorrow,' " Duffeler said.

"We said to some, 'Please put them in a refrigerated trailer.' "

Despite the winery's pleas, the first tractor-trailer of grapes pulled in Wednesday night.

Employees worked until 2 a.m. unloading it, and the winemaker and his team finished crushing grapes about 5 a.m.

Another trailer load showed up just when the rain leading up to Isabel was beginning to fall.

Fortunately, it was a refrigerated trailer, Duffeler said.

It was set at 32 degrees and left in the yard to ride out the storm.

Daphne Sashin can be reached at 223-5684 or by e-mail at dsashin@dailypress.com